Discovering allatostatin type-C receptor specific agonists

Currently, there is no pesticide available for the selective control of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa-specific), and conventional methods typically rely on mechanical techniques such as pheromone traps or broad-spectrum larvicidal chemicals. As climate change increases the range and dispersion capacity of crop and forest pests, outbreaks of the pine processionary occur with greater frequency and significantly impact forestry and public health. Our study is carried out to provide a T. pityocampa-specific pesticide targeting the Allatostatin Type-C Receptor (AlstR-C). We use a combination of computational biology methods, a cell-based screening assay, and in vivo toxicity and side effect assays to identify, for the first time, a series of AlstR-C ligands suitable for use as T. pityocampa-specific insecticides. We further demonstrate that the novel AlstR-C targeted agonists are specific to lepidopteran larvae, with no harmful effects on coleopteran larvae or adults. Overall, our study represents an important initial advance toward an insect GPCR-targeted next-generation pesticide design. Our approach may apply to other invertebrate GPCRs involved in vital metabolic pathways.


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HEK293 cell lines were commercially purchased.
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Thaumetopoea pityocampa larvae were collected from red pine trees, Pinus brutia, in Nall#han district of Ankara, Türkiye, in 2021.Larvae were cultured in 60 (±10) % humidity, 27 (±2) °C, and 16:8 light: dark photoperiod and were fed with red pine needles.Calosoma sycophanta adults and T. pityocampa nests were collected from Korkuteli forests in Antalya 2022.T. pityocampa nests were stored at +4 °C to prevent pupae formation.20 adult C. sycophanta were placed in clear plastic boxes (30 x 45 x 30 cm) with moist soil at the bottom.Adults were fed with T. pityocampa larvae regularly.After mating, C. sycophanta eggs were collected from the soil with a soft tip brush, and eggs were reserved in moist cotton until eggs cracked.Subsequently, C. sycophanta larvae were placed individually in clear, hard plastic cups (180 cm3) containing moist soil and covered with glass.One T. pityocampa larva per day was added to each cup for feeding.Predator insects were cultured in 65 (±5) % humidity, 25 (±5) °C, and 16:8 light: dark photoperiod.Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae were collected from a potato field in Kahramankazan district of Ankara province in 2022.The larvae were cultured in the laboratory under 60% (±10) humidity, 27(±2) °C temperature, and 16:8 light: dark photoperiod with potato plant leaves.
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April 2023

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